Hot Button: Cutch joins Brewers as free agent ... Connor sticks with Cardinals on 3-year deal ... Jets sign former Bengals tight end Uzomah

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Hot Button is a 'round-the-clock feature that covers anything across the scope of sports. We're here to bring you everything hot: News items, highlights, takes — everything but hot meals — whether local, national or international. Better yet, it’s interactive. Share your thoughts in comments, and even post your own links to interesting, safe-for-work sports stories.

So let’s go! Come on in!

MCCUTCHEN HEADS TO 
MILWAUKEE ON NEW DEAL

Monday, March 14: The Pirates are going to see a lot of Andrew McCutchen again, as their former MVP center fielder has agreed in principle to a contract with the Brewers. Terms and finances have yet to be announced.

McCutchen, now 35, has spent the last three seasons with the Phillies. He slashed .222/.334/.444 in 2021, with 27 home runs and 80 RBIs, with an OPS+ of 109 and a 1.4 WAR over 144 games. He received a $3-million buyout from Philadelphia after last season, in lieu of a team option for 2022.

McCutchen has good career numbers at American Family Field, slashing .289/.350/.581 with 23 home runs and 61 RBIs in 75 games, though most of that damage was done in his prime with the Pirates.

My take: Cutch will be a good addition because of the universal DH. He can still play a decent outfield, too, so a good platooning option at this point in his career, — DHing, working off the bench and getting three or four starts a week should keep him fresh. Loves to hit there, too. Gonna stink seeing him in a Brewers uniform, though. Would it have been worth it for the Pirates to have a reunion with Cutch, or would that be sentiment over facts? — Bob

CONNOR RE-UPS IN ARIZONA
ON THREE-YEAR DEAL

Monday, March 14: James Connor has found a new long-term home. The former Pitt star and Steelers All-Pro has re-signed with the Cardinals for three years and $21 million, with $13.5 million guaranteed. 

He played a critical role for Arizona last season, finishing second in the National Football League with 15 rushing touchdowns and 18 overall, also second in the league. Playing in mainly goal-line and short-yardage packages, he had 202 carries for 752 yards. In 15 games, he rushed for 53 first downs and had 18 more on receptions, part of 37 overall catches for 375 yards.

My take: Good for him. Kliff Kingsbury did the right thing in finding a specific role for Conner, limiting his touches to keep him fresh, and Conner responded like Pitt and Steelers fans knew he could. The guy just has a nose for the end zone. — Bob

BENGALS LOSE TIGHT END
UZOMAH TO THE JETS

Monday, March 14: The Bengals let their top tight end C.J. Uzomah test free agency and they now will be in the market for one as the Jets signed Uzomah to a three-year, $24-million deal Monday. 

Uzomah was fifth-round pick of the Bengals in 2015, and last season proved to be a valuable possession target for Joe Burrow, catching 49 passes — 24 for first downs — for 495 yards and five touchdowns. 

Uzomah will be an immediate upgrade for the Jets and quarterback Zack Wilson, while the Bengals are left with fourth-year veteran Drew Sample as the top tight end on their depth chart. Sample had 11 catches last season for 81 yards.

My take: A tough loss for the Bengals, but not an irreplaceable player. It will probably cost them some money, but not a deal breaker with about $21 million in cap space. — Bob

REDS TRADE TWO BATS,
ALL-STARS TO MARINERS

Monday, March 14: The Reds keep shedding players from their 2021 roster. One day after trading starter Sonny Gray, Cincinnati sent all-star hitters Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners for pitcher Justin Dunn, outfielder Jake Fraley, minor-league pitcher Brandon Williamson and a player to be named later.

Suarez, 30, an all-star in 2018, fills a need a third base for Seattle, a team coming of a surprising 90-win season. The eight-year veteran has been very productive at the plate, with a 162-game average of 31 home runs and 90 RBIs for his career. 

Winker, 28, broke out offensively in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, with 12 home runs in 54 games. He followed that up with an All-Star season in 2021, slashing .305/.394/.556 with 24 home runs, 32 doubles and 71 RBIs in just 110 games.

Dunn, 25, has had two uneven seasons in Seattle, with a 5-4 record over parts of three seasons with a 3.94 ERA (5.61 FIP) and a 1.354 WHIP over 25 starts and 102.2 innings pitched. Fraley, 26, the No. 9 prospect in the Mariners organization in 2020, slashed .210/.352/.369 in 2021, with nine home runs, 36 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 214 at-bats. Williamson, the No. 10 prospect in 2020, was a 2019 second-round pick who advanced to Double-A Arkansas in 2021. The hard-throwing southpaw was 4-6 with a 3.39 ERA between High-A and Double A in 2021, with 153 strikeouts and 33 walks in 98.1 innings pitched.

My take: The Reds have no shortage of offense, and get an upside outfielder in return, and a high-upside left-handed starter for 2023 or 2024. But the Reds need pitching now, and this trade does not address that. — Bob

CHARGERS INK CORNER JACKSON 
TO BIG FIVE-YEAR DEAL

Monday, March 14: The Chargers keep adding to their defense. Top free-agent cornerback J.C. Jackson signed a five-year, $82.5-million contract with Los Angeles Monday, just days after the Chargers traded for edge Khalil Mack from the Bears. The Patriots released the 2021 Pro Bowl corner after a season where he totaled eight interceptions and 23 passes defensed, the latter leading the National Football League. New England had no cap space to sign Jackson, putting him onto open market.

Jackson went undrafted in 2018, but has become one the top cornerbacks in all of football, with 25 interceptions and 53 passes defensed in 62 career games.

My take: Well, the Chargers have definitely reacted to Russell Wilson joining the division, trading for Mack and signing Jackson. There are still a few questions on the offensive side of the ball, but with Justin Herbert at the helm, they're in better position to patchwork that side. Eliminating one side of the field while beefing up the pass rush will make it tougher on Mahomes and Co. in the AFC West. — Bob 

BRADY LEAVES RETIREMENT, 
NOT READY TO STOP PLAYING

Sunday, March 13: Well, that didn't take long. Tom Brady has announced that he is returning for one more season with the Buccaneers less than five weeks since announcing his retirement from the National Football League after 22 seasons. Brady returns to Tampa Bay on a team-friendly one-year deal, with a $15-million signing bonus and an $8.925-million salary, plus $1.875 million ion incentives, for a total cap hit of just over $20 million.

Brady said he was at peace with his decision after retiring, but always left the door open for a possible return. Head coach Bruce Arians said he would welcome Brady back at any time and recently said he wouldn't trade Brady's rights to another team unless it was for "seven first-round draft picks." 

This decision alters the quarterback calculus throughout the league, eliminating one team from the equation for 2022. Tampa Bay had only Blaine Gabbard and Kyle Trask on the roster after Brady decided to hang up his spikes, and made no moves in the interim to address the position.

My take: Not a shock. His retirement was a bit of a shock. Now the Rob Gronkowski watch is over — I'd expect him to return for one more year — and it will be interesting to see what the Bucs do with their pending free agents ahead of the new league year Wednesday, after previously stating five of last year's starters would hit the open market. Anyone surprised by this? — Bob

LANDESKOG HAS KNEE SURGERY, 
AVS HOPEFUL FOR PLAYOFF RETURN

Sunday, March 13: The Avalanche are cautiously optimistic that captain Gabriel Landeskog will rejoin them by season's end after having knee surgery Monday, but the team won't know the prognosis until after the procedure. No specifics were offered about the nature of the injury or surgery, but Landeskog played in Colorado's last game, a 2-0 loss to the Hurricanes Thursday, leaving the game only because of a third-period misconduct penalty for arguing with on-ice officials.

Landeskog, 29, is having a big season for the Western Conference's top team, with 30 goals and 29 assists in 51 games. The Avalanche are currently 41-13-5 (87 points — 10 more than any other team in the conference).

My take: Landeskog is obviously an important piece, on and off the ice. The team should only be concerned if he doesn't return for the playoffs — they'll cruise to the No. 1 seed in the conference.

OSAKA TEARFUL AFTER
HECKLING DURING MATCH

Sunday, March 13: Not only did former world No.1 player Naomi Osaka get swept in straight sets (6-0, 6-4) in the second round at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California, she was reduced to tears in the first set after being heckled. By many accounts, a female spectator shouted, "Naomi, you suck!" after her serve was broken by Veronika Kudermetova in the first game of the match. Osaka asked the chair umpire to have the spectator removed and was promised they would locate the person if it happened again.

Osaka was granted the rare request fo a losing player to address the crowd after to explain her emotional distress, saying " ... I've gotten heckled before, it didn't really bother me. ... I don't know why, but it went into my head, and it got replayed a lot. I'm trying not to cry."

Osaka, who went public with her mental health struggles after withdrawing from the French Open in 2021, has played sparingly since and has fallen to No. 85 in the rankings.

My take: I've never seen the attraction in screaming at or heckling an athlete, but if Osaka can't handle the most basic taunts, perhaps she needs more time away. It's true that sports like tennis and golf used to be immune from this kind of thing, but times have changed and people are going to shout mean things at sporting events. Just the way it is now. — Bob

HARRISON LOOKS TO HOLD DOWN
SECOND BASE IN CHICAGO

Saturday, March 12: While much of the baseball buzz Saturday was centered on the Bryan Reynolds trade-rumor mill — Marlins, Mariners, Padres — former two-time Pirates All-Star Josh Harrison found a home for 2022, signing a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the White Sox, including a club option for 2023.

This will be Harrison's fourth team in as many seasons since leaving Pittsburgh, after stints with the Tigers, Nationals and Athletics. He slashed .279./.341/.400 with a respectable 2.1 WAR in 138 games for the Nationals and Athletics in 2021, playing a utility role for each, but the White Sox hope Harrison can hold down the second base job full-time this season, one of the few gaps in their playoff-potential lineup. 

My take: Every ball club needs a J-Hay, who brings value to the clubhouse, even when he's slumping. His ability to play all over the diamond is invaluable to any manager. Seems a good fit, if he can put up those 2021 numbers this season. The bigger question will be his range at second base at age 35. — Bob

LSU FIRES WADE 'FOR CAUSE,' 
DENIES ADMISSION OF VIOLATIONS

Saturday, March 12: Louisiana State University has fired head men's basketball coach Will Wade and assistant coach Bill Armstrong "for cause" in the wake of multiple Level I violation allegations leveled by the NCAA Thursday. The university said that the firings were not an admission or acknowledgment of the violations. Assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry was named interim head coach as LSU enters March Madness as a likely No. 5 or No. 6 seed. 

The NCAA alleges seven Level I violations — the most serious — in the men's basketball program, primarily accusations of Wade knowingly arranging donations and payments to student athletes, recruits and their families. 

LSU president William F. Tate and athletic director Scott Woodward issued a joint statement on the firings: "For more than four years, the University has patiently allowed the NCAA investigative process to unfold, jointly working with the NCAA Enforcement Staff and, subsequently, with the Complex Case Unit (CCU), to ensure the evidence collected was as thorough and fair as possible. Throughout that time, the University and its men’s basketball program have operated under an exhausting shroud of negativity," adding the formal notice of allegations "contains serious allegations, including multiple charges alleging Coach Wade’s personal involvement in — or awareness of — Level I misconduct. We can no longer subject our University, Department of Athletics, and — most importantly — our student-athletes, to this taxing and already-lengthy process without taking action." There are also multiple level II and Level III allegations against the men's basketball program.

The university self-imposed scholarship limits and a postseason ban in 2020, in anticipation of the NCAA's findings. They also renegotiated Wade's contract to eliminate any payout if he was terminated for cause.

There were also three allegations in the men's program: one Level I for lack of organizational control; one Level II for Odell Beckham Jr.'s cash payments to LSU players on the field after the Tigers won the National Championship game in 2020; one Level III for one incidence of former head coach Ed Orgeron contacting a recruit during the quiet recruiting period. 

My take: What takes four years to investigate all of this? Anyone who follows college basketball knew this was going to happen two years ago, but here we are now, with Wade makings millions in the interim, while everyone, including the university, knew he was dirty. If they self-imposed penalties in 2020, why did they keep Wade around? Maddening. They literally kept paying Wade so they wouldn't have to admit the program did anything wrong while awaiting the formal notice of allegations. It's happened at every top school that's been caught up in this string of accusations against top Division I programs. — Bob

TRADE FOR COOPER ADDRESSES
BROWNS' WIDEOUT NEED

Saturday, March 12: The Browns are addressing a pressing need at wideout by finalizing a trade for Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper, sending the Cowboys fifth and sixth round picks in the 2022 draft and receiving a 2022 sixth-round pick in return with Cooper.

The Cowboys indicated last week they were likely to release the seven-year veteran after parts of four seasons in Dallas, if a trade could not be worked out. It was a salary cap move for the Cowboys, trying to get out from under Cooper's five-year, $100-million contract signed in 2020. Cooper has three years remaining on that deal, at $20 million per season.

The fourth-overall pick in the 2015 draft has been remarkably consistent over his career with the Raiders and Cowboys, going to four Pro Bowls, but was not producing at his contract value. In 2021, Cooper had 68 catches on 104 targets for 865 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games, each around his annual career averages.

My take: Cooper is talented but lacks effort at times. Sounds like a perfect fit for the Browns. Not an earth-shattering move in the AFC North, but Cooper is a game-plan threat, addresses big hole in the Browns roster and will be a new challenge for division defenses. — Bob

BAUER'S BAN EXTENDED DESPITE NO 
CHARGES IN ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT

Saturday, March 12: Major League baseball and the players' union extended the administrative leave of Trevor Bauer by one week — to March 19 — despite the Los Angeles County's District Attorney's office refusal in February to present criminal charges to a Grand Jury based on allegations of forcible sexual assault made last season by a San Diego woman, who met with Bauer several times for rough-sex sessions.

Bauer cannot report to spring training until that March 19 date, at minimum. MLB stated it has not had the chance to interview Bauer as it mulls a potential suspension based on the allegations, stating it couldn't interview him earlier due to the lockout.

Bauer was originally placed on administrative leave on July 2, after the allegations were made public, and kept extending the leave through the regular season and post season. Bauer made his full salary while on leave, making $38 million for playing half the season. He is schedule to make $35 million in salary in 2022 and a $3.3-million roster bonus.

The 31-year-old right-hander does have an opt-out clause for 2022, which he was unable to exercise because of his roster status and the lockout, so there's still a chance he leaves the Dodgers and negotiates a new deal somewhere else.

My take: Boy, they hate this guy. Bauer's been a thorn in the side of the league and union for years. What could MLB possibly do to suspend a guy when the authorities refused to even press charges? He might be fifty shades of creepy, but not criminal, apparently. — Bob

BRITAIN, PREMIER LEAGUE BOOTS 
CHELSEA OWNER ABRAMOVICH

Saturday, March 12: The English Premier League has disqualified Chelsea owner and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich from the league and is forcing him to sell the storied club, currently the reigning UEFA Champions League winner and FIFA Club World Cup winner. 

Abramovich purchased Chelsea in 2003, and his investments have brought much league and international success over that time. His close ties to Russia president Vladimir Putin forced the British government to include Abramovich in list of people financially sanctioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Under league rules, in cooperation with the British government, the club will continue to operate normally through  the end of the season. Once sanctioned, Abramovich put the club up for sale for $4 billion.

My take: This was always headed in this direction. Once the initial sanctions hit and the invasion of Ukraine continued, there was no way the British were going to allow Abramovich to own one of its most storied soccer clubs. 

WATSON WON'T BE CHARGED
CRIMINALLY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

Friday, March 11: A Texas grand jury has voted not to indict Texans quarterback DeShaun Watson on any counts of sexual assault, misconduct and harassment. 

There are still over 20 civil suits against him, but without criminal charges, Watson is likely to be traded. The league could still suspend Watson based on its own investigation into the allegations.

Dale Lolley has full coverage, including the potential repercussions on the quarterback market and the Steelers.

My take: Major news. Never seemed like a criminal case could be made, but this changes the quarterback calculus in the NFL, big time, ahead of the new leageu year Wednesday. Should the Steelers go all-in on a talent like Watson at the expense of upgrading other positions of need? — Bob

BLUE JAYS CANNOT HOST 
UNVACCINATED PLAYERS

Friday, March 11: Major League Baseball players unvaccinated for COVID-19 are not allowed to play in Toronto, according the Canadian government. 

MLBPA president Tony Clark said any unvaccinated player who cannot travel to Toronto for games, forfeits their salary for those games under the current COVID-19 protocols.

Canada has had some of the strictest travel policies throughout the pandemic and those have not changed as many other countries begin to relax their safety protocols. Major League Baseball had set a goal last season for all 30 teams to reach 85-percent vaccination by the end of the season. 26 reached that threshold. There is no data released to show if those numbers have improved and there are none to show which players might be affected by this Canadian rule. 

MLB mandated that all minor-league players, who operate outside of the MLBPA, be vaccinated for the 2022 season, but no mandates have been placed on MLB players.

My take: Whatever. Obviously the Blue Jays have to have 100 percent vaccination or they can't field a roster for home games. 85 percent means 22 of 26 players on an MLB roster, so it's conceivable an AL team would be pretty shorthanded if they aren't above that and had to play a series in Toronto. Same goes for interleague games. Is Canada being too heavy-handed at this stage of the pandemic or should they have different rules for traveling athletes? — Bob

GLADNEY ACQUITTED ON 
ALL ASSAULT COUNTS 

Friday, March 11: A Texas jury found former Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney not guilty of multiple felony counts of assault and domestic battery. The judge declared a mistrial on one count of misdemeanor assault as one juror held he was guilty — Texas has majority-vote juries. The charges stem from an April 2021 incident in which Gladney was alleged to have choked, punched and thrown his then-girlfriend during an argument. Gladney was indicted in August, and the Vikings cut him immediately. 

Gladney was the 31st overall pick in 2020 out of TCU. He played all 16 games, starting 15, and finished with 81 tackles and three passes defensed. He struggled in coverage, giving up a 70-percent completion rate on all targets for 785 yards and six touchdowns. He is a free agent and can sign with any team at any time, not needing to wait until Wednesday when the new league year starts.

There is a civil suit still pending and there has been no indication from the NFL if there will be any discipline based on a league investigation.

My take: I'm beginning to think there should be a mechanism in place where players can be placed on a felony "criminal complaint" list, with or without pay according to the team, instead of just being released. Teams can do what they want, but innocent until proven guilty is still a guiding principle. — Bob

BEARS EXPECTED TO 
TRADE MACK TO CHARGERS

Thursday, March 10: According to multiple reports, the Bears are trading six-time Pro Bowl edge Khalil Mack to the Chargers for a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 sixth-round pick. The Chargers would assume Mack's full salary, including a $5 million roster bonus due next week when the new league year begins Wednesday. 

Mack, 31, has three years remaining on his contract at over $17 million in 2022 and around $23 million in each of the next two seasons. He made six consecutive Pro Bowls from 2015-20 but played in only seven games last season, requiring season-ending foot surgery in November, though he still managed six sacks and a fumble recovery.

The fifth-overall pick of the 2014 draft by the Raiders now returns to the AFC West and joins fellow edge Joey Bosa on a stout defensive line.

My take: Mack will not hold his value through the remainder of his contract and Herbert is due a big check after 2022. Foot issues are tricky and it will be imperative he return at 100 percent to have full explosiveness. That said, if he's healthy, this is the type of move you make in a division now with Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr at quarterback. — Bob

FLYERS EXTEND DEFENSEMAN
RISTOLAINEN FIVE YEARS

Thursday, March 10: The Flyers have extended defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen for five years and $25.5 million. Ristolainen was scheduled to be a free agent after the season.

Philadelphia acquired Ristolainen from the Sabres in the offseason for the 13th overall pick in the draft. a 2023 second-round pick and defenseman Robert Hagg. The 27-year-old Finn has two goals and 11 assists this season through 49 games. He has a below average 47.5 Corsi-For percentage (all situations).

My take: Philly overspent to get him, now overpaid him based on production. Dry your eyes, Penguins fans ... from laughing so hard. — Bob

JAGR EXTENDS GRATITUDE TO
NHL FOR REFUGEE ASSISTANCE

Thursday, March 10: Jaromir Jagr took to Twitter Wednesday to thank the National Hockey League for its support of the Czech Extraliga game played Tuesday at Prague's O2 Arena, with all proceeds going to Ukranian refugees in the Czech Republic fleeing from he Russian invasion. Dave Molinari wrote on March 5 about the decision to move the game.

Jagr thanked the NHL specifically for a $68,000 contribution, made in honor of Jagr's uniform number 68, worn to remember the 1968 Prague Spring uprising for reform in then-communist Czechoslovakia. His grandfather died in a Soviet-run Czechoslovakian prison that same year.

The 50-year-old superstar still plays for the club he owns, HC Kladno, and played in the game Tuesday night, a 4-1 loss to Sparta HC.

My take: I'm curious, with everything going on, if Jagr even knows Alex Ovechkin tied him for third all-time in NHL goals Tuesday night. Likely not, but it's an interesting juxtaposition for what was happening in Prague that same day. — Bob

COLLEGE INFIELDER STEALS
THREE BASES ON ONE PLAY

Thursday, March 10: Ole Miss junior infielder Payton Chatagnier stole three bases on one play Wednesday night against Alcorn State:

He stole second when the pickoff throw from first to second base was late, then stole third and home, which were uncovered. 

Ole Miss won 16-1 and moved to 11-1 on the season.

My take: Heads-up play. Take heart, Pirates fans — Neal Huntington would have drafted the Alcorn State catcher.

BOEHEIM OFFERS APOLOGY
FOR ALLEGED IN-GAME PUNCH

Wednesday, March 9: Syracuse star guard Buddy Boeheim, son of legendary coach Jim Boeheim, issued an  online statement after an alleged punch in the first half to Florida State guard Wyatt Wilkes. No foul was called.

Jim Boeheim defended his son in a postgame interview, stating “(Wilkes) pushed him twice and he swung around and hit him. I think it was inadvertent, but that’s okay.”  The ACC is reviewing the incident for potential discipline. Boeheim leads Syracuse in scoring with 19 points per game.

No. 9-seeded Syracuse defeated No. 8 Florida State, 96-57, in the ACC Tournament. The Orangemen face No.1 Duke tomorrow. 

My take: Inadvertent? Nah. Seems like a gut shot to me. Suspendable? Should be one game, but he won't get anything. If Coach Boeheim had any class, he'd sit Buddy for the first half, but he doesn't think he did anything wrong. Whatever. Would you suspend Buddy Boeheim? — Bob

Update: Boeheim received a one-game suspension. Shocked, to be honest. Good for the ACC tournament officials. — Bob

AB ANNOUNCES DESIRE TO BUY
BRONCOS WITH KANYE WEST

Wednesday, March 9: Antonio Brown said he and hip-hop superstar Kanye West are interested in buying the Broncos, who recently went up for sale after a protracted legal battle. brown is the current president of Donda Sports, a company purportedly focused on providing professional and wellness support to athletes.

The former National Football League receiver told TMZ Sports that the two are "extremely serious" about it and to “Tell Roger [Goodell] to call me. We’re working on it … We’re working towards getting it done.”

The Broncos are valued at $4 billion and are expected to be sold at or above that amount.

My take: Not sure which is more confusing: AB being president of a company focused on professional athlete wellness, or AB thinking he can be part of an NFL ownership group. Kanye's no joke, of course. He's got an estimated net worth of around $2 billion. It would take a bunch of other partners, though, to come up with the rest  or put a group together in which Donda ends up with a minority stake in the company. $4 billion's too big a number for just about any one person, to be honest. — Bob

WASHINGTON DEALS FOR
WENTZ, SEND COLTS PICKS

Wednesday, March 9: The quarterbacks keep moving. The Commanders have traded for Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, sending Indianapolis a 2022 third-round draft, a 2023 third-round draft pick and swapping picks in the 2022 second round, moving the Colts up seven spots. Wentz is due $28 million in salary and roster bonus next season and Washington will pay the full amount. 

Wentz, the second overall pick in 2016, is now on his third team entering his seventh NFL season. The Colts acquired Wentz last offseason from the Eagles for a conditional 2022 second-round pick, hoping his reunion with head coach Frank Reich, who was Wentz's quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia, would return him to his early-career form. Wentz had a productive 2021 season in Indianapolis, throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, but the Colts lost four games in a row down the stretch to miss the playoffs, including an embarrassing 26-11 loss to the Jaguars on the season's last day, eliminating them from the playoffs.

Wentz gets immediate chances at revenge, being back in the division against the Eagles, and visiting the Colts as the NFC East plays the AFC South on the schedule in 2022. 

The Commanders have been searching for a franchise-level quarterback since the late 1980s-early 1990s when Doug Williams and Mark Rypien won the franchise's last two Super Bowls. They entered 2021 with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke in competition for the starting job, but Fitzpatrick suffered a season-ending injury in the first game and Heinicke started 15 games the rest of the way, posting 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

My take: Wentz is the kind of player that always has good stats without results. He has a career winning record of 44-40-1, he has 20,374 passing yards in 85 games with 147 touchdowns and just 57 interceptions in just six seasons. But he's never played in a playoff game — he was headed toward league MVP when he was injured in 2017, and Nick Foles won the Super Bowl for the Eagles. Not sure this is the guy I would have picked, unless Washington is still looking take a quarterback — Kenny Pickett is mocked to them by a few — and Wentz is a stopgap. It's getting curiouser and curiouser. — Bob 

EIGHT PLAYERS FRANCHISE-TAGGED 
AHEAD OF TUESDAY DEADLINE

Tuesday, March 8: Eight teams exercised the franchise tag option ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline. Two AFC North teams — the Browns and Bengals — did so Monday, tagging tight end David Njoku and safety Jessie Bates III, respectively. Tuesday saw the following tags: Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin ($20.4 million); Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown ($16.6 million); Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz ($10.9 million); Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki ($10.9 million) Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson ($16.6 million); Packers receiver Davante Adams ($20.4 million).

Those contracts are now fully guaranteed. Teams have until July 15 to work out new contracts or extensions.

My take: A lot of value in tight ends, with three getting tags, though Njoku is not anywhere near as productive as Schultz and Gesicki. No other surprises, really, except the Patriots not using a tag on corner J.C. Jackson — they don't have the cap space, I guess, with a tag hit of $17.3 million on cornerbacks. It's going to be a wild and exciting free agency period a week from now. — Bob

SANDERS TOE AMPUTATIONS
PART OF DOCUMENTARY

Tuesday, March 8: Deion Sanders reveals in an episode of the "Coach Prime" docuseries airing Tuesday night that he had two toes amputated during the 2021 season as he coached Jackson State to SWAC division and conference titles in 2021, their first since 2007. Sanders missed three games in October, during which time he spent 23 days in the intensive care unit and had eight surgeries to address a blood clot condition that potentially threatened his life.

Sanders said the toe amputations — the big toe and the one next to it on his left foot — were necessary due to complications from the blood clot condition. He also had parts of his left thigh removed. At times, the Hall of Fame cornerback says, doctors also discussed amputating his leg to the knee, worried the clots cold interrupt blood flow and cause necrosis which could spread throughout his body.

Sanders told Andscape.com, “Just because I had a gift at one point in time to do my thing on the football and baseball field, that does not extract me from the tragedies of life. I go through hell just like everyone else goes through hell. ... Well, the beat goes on, and that’s what I teach my kids."

Sanders won the SWAC Coach of the Year award in 2021 and the Eddie Robinson Award for best head coach in FCS.

The full episode airs Tuesday night on all Barstool platforms.

My take: Wow. Had no idea. I'd heard he missed some games during the season with a leg surgery, but nothing to this extent. Seems like a fantastic role model for those college kids and he's revived a once storied program in short order, winning that conference title in just his second season. Be interesting to see if he has any interest in pro coaching after his sons graduate from Jackson State. — Bob